Smoking Apparatus Protection Device and Method

ABSTRACT

A device for protecting a smoking apparatus; the device has a jacket constructed of a semirigid and/or shock absorbent material configured receive a glass body of the smoking apparatus and may cover at least 50% of the outer surface of the glass body when on an open state. The jacket further may be configured to protect, at least 80% of the outer surface of the glass body against impacts against the outer surface of the glass body while in the closed state. Additionally, a fastener may be fixed to the jacket, and configured to secure the jacket to the smoking apparatus. The device for protecting the smoking apparatus is useful for providing a reusable covering/jacket for protecting the smoking apparatus against impacts.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/398,140 filed 29 Apr. 2019, which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following includes information that may be useful in understandingthe present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of theinformation provided herein is prior art nor material to the presentlydescribed or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or documentthat is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the field of glass smokingapparatuses of existing art and more specifically relates to smokingapparatus protectors.

RELATED ART

Many smokers enjoy using a glass pipe but worry that it will break ifdropped or otherwise impacted. Often, the pipe becomes hot and causesthe individual to lose their grip. The glass may also be slippery, whichoften causes the user to inadvertently drop the pipe. The impact from afall, even a short one, can cause the pipe to crack or even shatter.This will render the pipe unusable and force the user to pay for areplacement smoking apparatus (e.g., bong, pipe, etc.). A suitablesolution is desired.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,807 to Mark R. Newman relates to a water pipesmoking apparatus having impact collars and base storage compartment.The described water pipe smoking apparatus having impact collars andbase storage compartment includes a liquid pipe smoking apparatus havingimpact collars formed to be carried by the body of the base member, andor, the vessel body of the apparatus. The impact collars are detachableand are intended to absorb shock encountered by the apparatus during useto avoid fracture of the vessel body, and or to avoid tipping of thepipe apparatus. The cylindrical base member is also modified such thatthe underside portion provides a storage compartment covered with athreaded or friction retained bottom cap member. Various embodiments maybe configured utilizing the impact collars and the modified basestructure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known smokingapparatus protector art, the present disclosure provides a novel deviceand method for protecting a smoking apparatus. The general purpose ofthe present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greaterdetail is to provide an effective and convertible device for protectinga smoking apparatus.

The smoking apparatus may include a mouth interface, at least one airinlet, and a glass body between the mouth interface and the at least oneair inlet. The glass body has an outer surface defining an internalcavity. The device for protecting the smoking apparatus comprises ajacket constructed of a semirigid and/or shock absorbent materialconfigured to receive the glass body and may cover at least 50% of theouter surface of the glass body when on an open state. The jacketfurther may be configured to protect at least 80% of the outer surfaceof the glass body against impacts against the outer surface of the glassbody while in the closed state. Additionally, a fastener may be fixed tothe jacket, and configured to secure the jacket to the glass smokingapparatus.

The device further includes an embodiment with a jacket that can bedivided into a plurality of sub jackets and each sub jacket can beconfigured to receive a predefined portion of the glass bodyindividually or in combination. With the present embodiment, eachsub-jacket may comprise a sub jacket divided into two halves and mayfurther be configured to be releasably couplable one to the other aroundthe outer surface of the smoking apparatus and/or a predefined portionof the smoking apparatus.

A method of using a device for protecting a smoking apparatus is alsodisclosed herein. The method comprises the steps of providing a devicefor protecting a smoking apparatus; the smoking apparatus including amouth interface, at least one air inlet, and a glass body between themouth interface and the at least one air inlet, the glass body having anouter surface defining an internal volume; the device comprising: ajacket configured receive the glass body, and to cover at least 50% ofthe outer surface of the glass body; the jacket further configured toprotect against impacts against the outer surface of the glass body; anda fastener fixed to the jacket, and configured to secure the jacket tothe glass smoking apparatus; positioning the jacket in an open state;inserting the smoking apparatus; closing the jacket; coupling thefastener to secure the jacket in the closed state; releasing thefastener; and removing the smoking apparatus.

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages,and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is tobe understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achievedin accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus,the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achievesor optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught hereinwithout necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught orsuggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to benovel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in theconcluding portion of the specification. These and other features,aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become betterunderstood with reference to the following drawings and detaileddescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specificationillustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, adevice for protecting a glass smoking apparatus, constructed andoperative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a smoking apparatus retainedwithin the device for protecting the smoking apparatus;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a device for protecting asmoking apparatus;

FIG. 3 illustrates a break-away view of a device for protecting asmoking apparatus, the device having a plurality of sub-jackets;

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a device for protecting asmoking apparatus, the device having a plurality of sub-jackets; and

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of using a device forprotecting a smoking apparatus.

The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction withthe appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to asmoking apparatus protector and more particularly to a device forprotecting a smoking apparatus from potential impact damage as used toimprove the longevity of the smoking apparatus.

Generally, modern smoking apparatuses are constructed with fragilematerial such as glass and ceramic and as a result can be very expensiveand delicate. Furthermore, because they are often fragile, smokingapparatuses are unable to sustain impacts if dropped. The presentinvention provides a device useful for protecting the smoking apparatusagainst such impacts. The device may look like a sleeve or a koozie thatthe smoking apparatus can slide into and surrounds the bottom half ofthe bowl with a bridge over the stem top to hold it in place.

The device may further be envisioned in other configurations orembodiments that can include a device comprising a protector that couldbe like an outer box on a phone that is 2 pieces that click in place onboth sides and the bottom, while the stem is a separate protector thatthe stem slides into similar to a koozie. It can also be manufacturedsimilarly to a phone case by lining the inside with silicone with theoutside being wood, plastic, or the like. The retaining strap may varyas well. There can be a permanent strap, a snap strap, or a buckle strapwith the initial one being made from an RTV rubber mold that the bowlcan be set into with the bridge added later. It may be able to be madefrom semi-flex to flexible filament from a 3D printer. 3D printing canbe one way to make the device. Other suitable options may be used suchas with a clay molding and silicone. The measurements can be minimallythe same throughout. An example may include a device being between ⅛ ofan inch and one inch thick in all areas including the retaining strapbut can be thicker and modeled special if the user prefers for examplefinger ridges for gripping or other unique designs. Preferably, thedevice can be about a quarter of an inch away from the bowl piece andthe mouth piece sticks out about a quarter of an inch past the protectorin order to still be able put mouth on the smoking apparatus.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals ofreference, FIG. 1 illustrates a device 100 for protecting a smokingapparatus 180. FIG. 1 shows the device 100 during an ‘in-use’ condition.The device 100 may be beneficial for use by a user to protect thesmoking apparatus 180 from damage or impact if accidently dropped. Asillustrated, the smoking apparatus 180 may have a mouth interface 185,at least one air inlet 187, and a body 181 (e.g., formed of glass)between the mouth interface 185 and the at least one air inlet 187. Body181 may have an outer surface 182 defining an internal volume (notshown). Mouth interface 185 and the at least one air inlet 187 may beformed as openings to enable passage of material therethrough. Material(e.g., smoke), may pass through the at least one air inlet 187 into theinternal volume of body 181. Further, material (e.g., gas), may passfrom the internal volume of body 181 by exiting through mouth interface185, such as where a user may have induced flow by oral contact withsmoking apparatus 180 at mouth interface 185, (e.g., by sucking,blowing, or other pressurization).

Although it is clearly apparent that the device 100 of the of thepresent disclosure may have advantages for protecting the smokingapparatus 180, it should be noted that the smoking apparatus 180 doesnot require a glass element for the device 100 to be effective in theprotection of the smoking apparatus 180. Examples of the smokingapparatus 180 may include wood, carved stone, porcelain, molded glass,blown glass and water pipes commonly referred to as bongs or hookahs.

The device 100 comprises a jacket 110 configured to receive the body 181of the smoking apparatus 180 (e.g., a glass body), while in an openstate (e.g., open state 212, as illustrated in FIG. 2). Jacket 110 maycover at least 50% of outer surface 182 of body 181. Preferably the atleast 50% should include the bottom section when used with a commonglass pipe as illustrated in FIG. 1, such as to protect against impactagainst a surface (as represented by impact zone 101). The jacket 110may further be configured to protect from impacts against the outersurface 182 of body 181 while in the open state as illustrated in FIG. 2and compounding the protection while in a closed state 122. In closedstate 122, a fastener 120 may be closed and/or fastened as illustrated,whereas in the open state, fastener 120 may be open and/or released. Forprotection, jacket 110 may include shell 140 (e.g., having a shockabsorbent and/or semirigid quality). Shell 140 may be formed of wood,plastic or 3D printable material and further may include non-functionalartistic designs and/or functional ergonomic features. The jacket 110may further include an internal liner 148 (e.g., formed of shockabsorbent material) which may be positioned between shell 140 andsmoking apparatus 180. Internal liner 148 may be secured to shell 140.Internal liner 148 may contact smoking apparatus 180 when device 100 isin the in-use condition, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Internal liner 148and/or shell 140 may form an internal cavity (e.g., internal cavity 246of FIG. 2) which receives smoking apparatus 180. The internal liner 148is configured to nest at least a portion of the smoking apparatus 180within the internal cavity. The jacket 110 may be made of a shockabsorbent skin comprising the semirigid material (e.g., shell 140 and/orinternal liner 148) separately or in combination. Jacket 110 may have athickness between ⅛ of an inch and one inch. Jacket 110 and/or internalliner 148 may be formed of an elastomer material. However, types ofmaterial used for jacket 110 and/or internal liner 148 may varyaccording to design preference, such as to accommodate up to a thresholdlevel of impact force applied to jacket 110 while preventing smokingapparatus 180 from damage.

The at least one air inlet 187, jacket 110 and/or internal liner 148 maybe sized and dimensioned to provide a thermal separation 160 between theat least one air inlet 187 and one or both of jacket 110 and internalliner 148, such as to prevent melting or undue heating of jacket 110and/or internal liner 148 (e.g., where excessive heat may be produced ator near the at least one air inlet 187). Thermal separation 160 may beformed as a gap of at least 1/32 of an inch between the at least one airinlet 187 and either or both of jacket 110 and internal liner 148. Asecond air inlet 188 may be formed on the smoking apparatus 180, whichmay help regulate flow of material (e.g., flavored smoke). Jacket 110and/or internal liner 148 may have at least one inlet aperture 114(e.g., a slot) which may be configured to enable material to escapesmoking apparatus 180. Thus, jacket 110 and/or internal liner 148 may beseparated from second air inlet 188 by a thermal separation 161. Thedevice 100 for protecting the smoking apparatus 180 may be arranged as akit. In particular, the kit may further include one or more of jacket110, smoking apparatus 180, and/or a set of instructions 107. Theinstructions 107 may detail functional relationships in relation to thestructure of the device 100 such that the device 100 may be used,maintained, or the like, in a preferred manner.

FIG. 2 illustrates a jacket 210 having a shell 240, an internal liner248, and a fastener 220. Jacket 210 may be configured to receive asmoking apparatus (e.g., smoking apparatus 180 of FIG. 1) while in anopen state 212 (e.g., where fastener 220 is open and/or released). Thefastening means of fastener 220 may include, without limitation, hookand loop fasteners, buttons, snaps, clamps, pins, knubs, clasps, crimps,rubber band fasteners, buckles, zippers, or other knowns means ofattachment. Shell 240 and/or internal liner 248 may form an internalcavity 246 which is shaped and/or dimensioned to receive the smokingapparatus. Internal cavity 246 may include an outlet aperture 216 whichmay be configured to align and permit air to flow out of a mouthinterface (e.g., mouth interface 185 of FIG. 1). Internal cavity 246 mayinclude at least one inlet aperture 214 (e.g., a slot) which may beconfigured to align and permit air to flow out of a second air inlet(e.g., second air inlet 188 of FIG. 1). The fastener 220 may bereleasably couplable and is further configured to secure the jacket 210in the closed state (e.g., closed state 122 of FIG. 1). The fastener 220may be made of an impact resistant material similar to the jacket 210.

It should be noted and obvious to one skilled in the art that the impactresistant material may be constructed to provide elastomeric propertiesallowing for a biasing deformation such that the jacket 210 and/orfastener 220 may be deformed to the open state 212 to receive thesmoking apparatus and return to the closed state to retain the smokingapparatus. Shell 240 may be configured for protecting the smokingapparatus and may be formed of a shock absorbent skin (e.g., constructedof a neoprene shock absorbent material), and may be configured to slipover the smoking apparatus in a sock-like fashion.

Shell 240 may be formed with an exterior wall 242 and an interior wall244. Internal liner 248 may be secured to interior wall 244. Shell 240may cover at least 50% of the outer surface of the smoking apparatus.The interior wall 244 may be defined by the internal cavity 246 and maybe configured to receive the smoking apparatus. The outlet aperture 216may be sized and dimensioned to provide a gap (e.g., as represented inFIG. 1) of at least ⅛ of an inch between the outlet aperture 216 and themouth interface (e.g., mouth interface 185 of FIG. 1).

FIG. 3 is a break-away view of a device 300 having a jacket which may bedivided into a plurality of sub jackets 350. A smoking apparatuses 380(e.g., water pipes, bongs, and/or or hookahs) may require protection forindividual components, or segments, of the smoking apparatus 380. Theplurality of sub-jackets 350 may be configured to receive discreteportions of the smoking apparatus 380 when in an open state 312 andretain the smoking apparatus 380 when coupled together to protect theportion f the smoking apparatus 380 when in a closed state (closed state422 of FIG. 4).

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the plurality of sub jackets 350 may beconfigured to receive predefined portions of the smoking apparatus 380,individually or in combination. The predefined portions of smokingapparatus 380 can include at least one of a bowl portion 352, a baseportion 354, a water-chamber portion 356, a stem portion 353, a neck381, and a smoke-chamber portion 358. Base portion 354 may form anexterior shell with an internal volume forming water-chamber portion356. Smoke-chamber portion 358 may extend from base portion 354. Neck381 may form an exterior shell with an internal volume formingsmoke-chamber portion 358. Neck 381 may be interconnected with baseportion 354 (e.g., at a first end of neck 381). Neck 381 may have amouth interface 385 (e.g., at a second end of neck 381). Water-chamberportion 356 may be in fluid communication with smoke-chamber portion358. Bowl portion 352 may be interconnected with stem portion 353 (e.g.,at a first end of stem portion 353). Stem portion 353 may beinterconnected with base portion 354 (e.g., at a second end of stemportion 353, or at some point between the first and second ends suchthat stem portion 353 extends into the interior of water-chamber portion356).

The plurality of sub jackets 350 may be divided into two halves that canbe releasably coupled together (e.g., the two halves 350A, and the twohalves 350B). Each of the plurality of sub-jackets 350 may furtherinclude the fastener 320 fixed to one or more of the plurality ofsub-jackets 350 and may be configured to secure one or more of theplurality of sub-jackets 350 to the smoking apparatus 380. The fastener320 may be made of an impact resistant material and may be an affixedfeature of one or more of the plurality of sub-jacket 350 (e.g.,sub-jacket 350A). Preferably, the fastener 320 is releasably couplable,and is further configured to secure at least one of the sub jackets 350in the closed state. As stated above, fastener 320 may be selected fromany number of suitable fasteners. The fastener 320 can be divided into aplurality of sub-fasteners 362 fixed to the plurality of the sub-jackets350. Each sub-fastener 362 may be configured to secure its respectivesub jacket 350 to its respective predefined portion of the smokingapparatus 380 (e.g., sub-jackets 350B to base portion 354, and/orsub-jackets 350A to neck 381). Each sub-fastener 362 may be biased inits respective closed state.

Device 300 may include the plurality of sub-jackets 350 configured toreceive the predefined portion of the smoking apparatus 380,individually or in combination and to cover at least 50% of an outersurface 382 of smoking apparatus 380. Device 300 may cover between 50%and 97% of the glass body. Each of the plurality of sub jackets 350 maybe formed of shock absorbent, semirigid material. Each of the pluralityof sub jackets 350 may have an exterior wall 342 and an interior wall344. The interior wall 344 may be defined by an internal cavity 346configured to receive the smoking apparatus 380. Each of the pluralityof sub jackets 350 may further include an internal liner 348 coupled tothe interior wall 344 within the internal cavity 346. Internal liner 348may be made of a shock absorbent material. The internal liner 348 isconfigured to nest at least a portion of the smoking apparatus's 380within the internal cavity 346.

Each of the plurality of sub-jackets 350 may further include the atleast one inlet aperture 314 configured to align and permit air to flowinto at least one air inlet 387 of smoking apparatus 380. Thus,sub-jackets 350B may each have a slot along a perimeter thereof, suchthat when joined as provided for herein, the slots in each sub jacket350B combine to form the at least one inlet aperture 314 extendingthrough the combined jacket 350. The at least one inlet aperture 314 maybe structured and arranged to align with the at least one air inlet 387when the corresponding jacket 350 is in the closed state (e.g., asrepresented in FIG. 4). The at least one inlet aperture 314 may be sizedand dimensioned to provide a thermal separation 360 between the at leastone inlet aperture 314 and the at least one air inlet 387. Thermalseparation 360 may be represented by a gap of at least 1/32 of an inchbetween the at least one inlet aperture 314 and the at least one airinlet 387.

Moreover, the plurality of jackets 350 include an outlet aperture 316configured to align and permit air to flow out of the mouth interface385. Thus, sub jackets 350A may each have a slot along a perimeterthereof, such that when joined as provided for herein, the slots in eachsub-jacket 350A combine to form the outlet aperture 316. The outletaperture 316 may be sized and dimensioned to provide the gap 318 betweenoutlet aperture 316 and mouth interface 385. Outlet aperture 316 mayform a gap of at least ⅛ of an inch between the outlet aperture 316 andthe mouth interface 385. Further, each corresponding sub jacket 350 mayinclude a second inlet aperture 315 configured to align with and permitair to flow into or out of a second air inlet 388 of smoking apparatus380. The second inlet aperture 315 may be sized and dimensioned toprovide a thermal separation (not shown) between the second inletaperture 315 and the second air inlet 388. This thermal separation maybe represented by a gap of at least 1/32 of an inch between the secondinlet aperture 315 and the second air inlet 388.

One or more of the plurality of sub jackets 350 may be configured withone or more feet 399. The one or more feet 399 may be configured toallow device 300 and/or smoking apparatus 380 to be placed on a surfaceand be retained in a specific geometrical relationship with respect tothat surface (e.g., upright, inclined, and so forth). At least one ofthe plurality of sub-jackets 350 may include a sub jacket 350Cconfigured to be retained over or around bowl portion 352.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a device 400 having a plurality of subjackets 450. The plurality of sub jackets 450 may be configured to havean open state (e.g., open state 312 as illustrated in FIG. 3) and aclosed state 422 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Each sub-jacket 450 mayinclude two halves configured to inter-lock into its respective closedstate. The plurality of sub-jackets 450 may include the at least oneinlet aperture 414 configured to align and permit air to flow into atleast one air inlet (e.g., the at least one air inlet 387 of FIG. 3).The plurality of sub-jackets 450 may include an outlet aperture 416configured to align and permit air to flow out of a mouth interface 485of a smoking apparatus 480. The outlet aperture 416 may be sized anddimensioned to provide a gap 418 to prevent interference with a mouth ofa user. Gap 418 may be configured to have a spacing of at least ⅛ of aninch between the outlet aperture 416 and the mouth interface 485.

Some embodiments of the device 400 may include the sub jackets 450 madeof a shock absorbent skin comprising soft and/or compliant material, ormay further have an internal liner. Sub jackets 450 and/or the internalliner may separately or in combination have a thickness between ⅛ of aninch and one inch. The shock absorbent material may be an elastomermaterial.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of use 500 for a device(e.g., device 300 of FIG. 3) for protecting a smoking apparatus (e.g.,smoking apparatus 380 of FIG. 3). The method of use 500 for the devicefor protecting the smoking apparatus may include one or more componentsor features of the devices heretofore described. As illustrated, themethod of use 500 for the device for protecting a smoking apparatus mayinclude the steps of:

Step one, 501, providing a device for protecting a smoking apparatus,the smoking apparatus including a mouth interface, at least one airinlet, and a body between the mouth interface and the at least one airinlet. The device may further include a body having an outer surface,defining an internal volume. The device may further include a jacket ora plurality of sub-jackets configured to receive the body of the smokingapparatus. The jacket(s) may cover at least 50% of the outer surface ofthe body. The jacket(s) may be configured to protect against impacts tothe outer surface of the body. The jacket(s) may further include afastener fixed to the jacket, and configured to secure the jacket(s) toeach other and/or to the smoking apparatus.

Step two, 502, positioning the jacket or sub-jackets in an open state ona table or stable surface.

Step three, 503, inserting the smoking apparatus into the device and/orthe jacket(s). It may be preferable to hold the device in one hand whileinserting the smoking apparatus or portion thereof using the other hand.

Step four, 504, closing the jacket(s), if appropriate. It may bepreferrable that the device be configured to include a jacket comprisinga fastener (e.g., as an integral part of the jacket) or to form thedevice of shock absorbent skin, soft or compliant material, or of aneoprene shock absorbent material configured to slip over the smokingapparatus in a sock-like fashion.

Step five 505, coupling the fastener to secure the jacket in the closedstate.

In general, once the smoking apparatus is secured within the device, itis preferable to leave the smoking apparatus in the enclosedconfiguration. However, it may be necessary, on occasion, to clean orotherwise maintain the smoking apparatus. Where such cleaning ormaintenance mandates the removal of the smoking apparatus from thedevice, additional steps may be necessary, such as:

Step six, 506, releasing the fastener.

Step seven, 507, removing the smoking apparatus.

It should be noted that steps six, 506, and seven, 507, are an optionalstep and may not be implemented in all cases. Optional steps of methodof use 500 are illustrated using dotted lines in FIG. 5 so as todistinguish them from the other steps of method of use 500. It shouldalso be noted that the steps described in the method of use can becarried out in many different orders according to user preference. Theuse of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claimsherein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. §112(f).

The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary andnumerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readilyenvisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which areintended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention.Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially thescientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiarwith patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from acursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure ofthe application.

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims:
 1. A device for protecting a smokingapparatus, the smoking apparatus including a mouth interface, at leastone air inlet, and a body between the mouth interface and the at leastone air inlet, the body having an outer surface defining an internalvolume, the device comprising: a jacket configured to receive the body,the jacket further configured to protect against impacts against theouter surface of the body; and a fastener fixed to the jacket andconfigured to secure the jacket to the smoking apparatus.
 2. The deviceof claim 1, wherein the jacket has an open state and a closed state, thejacket configured to receive the body when in the open state and toretain the body when in the closed state.
 3. The device of claim 2,wherein the jacket is further configured to cover at least 50% of thebody when in the closed state.
 4. The device of claim 2, wherein thefastener is releasably couplable, and is further configured to protectthe jacket in the closed state.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein thejacket includes a shock absorbent, semirigid shell having an exteriorwall and an interior wall, said interior wall defining an internalcavity configured to receive the body.
 6. The device of claim 5, whereinthe jacket further includes an internal liner coupled to the interiorwall of the internal cavity and made of a shock absorbent material, saidinternal liner configured to nest the body within the internal cavity.7. The device of claim 6, wherein the shock absorbent material is anelastomer material.
 8. The device of claim 1, wherein the jacket is madeof a shock absorbent skin having a thickness of between ⅛ of an inch andone inch.
 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the jacket includes at leastone inlet aperture configured to align and permit material to flow intothe at least one air inlet, the at least one inlet aperture sized anddimensioned to provide a thermal separation of at least 1/32 of an inchbetween the at least one inlet aperture and the at least one air inlet.10. The device of claim 9, wherein the jacket has an open state and aclosed state, the jacket configured to receive the body when in the openstate and to protect the body when in the closed state; and wherein theat least one inlet aperture is structured and arranged to align withsaid at least one air inlet when the jacket is in the closed state. 11.The device of claim 9, wherein the jacket further includes an outletaperture configured to align and permit air to flow out of the mouthinterface, the outlet aperture sized and dimensioned to provide a gap ofat least ⅛ of an inch between the outlet aperture and the mouthinterface.
 12. The device of claim 1, wherein the jacket is divided intoa plurality of sub-jackets; and wherein each sub jacket is configured toreceive a predefined portion of the body.
 13. The device of claim 12,wherein the predefined portions of the body include a bowl portion, abase portion, a water-chamber portion, a stem portion, a neck, and asmoke-chamber portion.
 14. The device of claim 12, wherein each of theplurality of sub-jackets are configured to have an open state and aclosed state; and wherein each sub jacket has two halves configured tointer-lock into its respective closed state.
 15. The device of claim 14,wherein the fastener is divided into a plurality of sub-fasteners eachfixed to one of the plurality of sub jackets, each sub-fastenerconfigured to be secured to each other and/or to its respective andpredefined portion of the body, each sub-fastener being biased in itsrespective closed state.
 16. The device of claim 1, wherein the fasteneris made of an impact resistant material.
 17. A device for protecting asmoking apparatus, the smoking apparatus including a mouth interface, atleast one air inlet, and a body between the mouth interface and the atleast one air inlet, the body having an outer surface defining aninternal volume, the device comprising: a jacket configured to receivethe body, the jacket further configured to protect against impactsagainst the outer surface of the body; and a fastener fixed to thejacket, and configured to secure the jacket to the smoking apparatus;wherein the jacket has an open state and a closed state, the jacketconfigured to receive the body when in the open state and to retain thebody when in the closed state; wherein the jacket is further configuredto cover at least 50% of the body when in the closed state; wherein thefastener is releasably couplable, and is further configured to securethe jacket in the closed state; wherein the jacket includes a shockabsorbent, semirigid shell having an exterior wall and an interior wall,said interior wall defining an internal cavity configured to receive thebody; wherein the jacket further includes an internal liner coupled tothe interior wall of the internal cavity and made of a shock absorbentmaterial, said internal liner configured to nest the body within theinternal cavity; wherein the shock absorbent material is an elastomermaterial; wherein the jacket is made of a shock absorbent skin having athickness of between ⅛ of an inch and one inch; wherein the jacketincludes at least one inlet aperture configured to align and permitmaterial to flow into the at least one air inlet, the at least one inletaperture sized and dimensioned to provide a thermal separation of atleast 1/32 of an inch between the at least one aperture and the at leastone air inlet; wherein the jacket has an open state and a closed state,the jacket configured to receive the body when in the open state and toretain the body when in the closed state; and wherein the at least oneinlet aperture is structured and arranged to align with said at leastone air inlet when the jacket is in the closed state; wherein the jacketfurther includes an outlet aperture configured to align and permitmaterial to flow out of the mouth interface, the outlet aperture sizedand dimensioned to provide a gap of at least ⅛ of an inch between theoutlet aperture and the mouth interface; and wherein the fastener ismade of an impact resistant material.
 18. The device for protecting asmoking apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a set of instructions;and wherein the device is arranged as a kit.
 19. A method of use for adevice for protecting a smoking apparatus, the method comprising thesteps of: providing the device for protecting a smoking apparatus, thesmoking apparatus including a mouth interface, at least one air inlet,and a body between the mouth interface and the at least one air inlet,the body having an outer surface defining an internal volume, the devicecomprising: a jacket configured receive the body, the jacket furtherconfigured to protect against impacts against the outer surface of thebody, and a fastener fixed to the jacket, and configured to secure thejacket to the smoking apparatus; positioning the jacket in an openstate; inserting the smoking apparatus; closing the jacket; and couplingthe fastener to secure the jacket in the closed state.
 20. The method ofclaim 19, further comprising the steps of: releasing the fastener; andremoving the smoking apparatus.